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LeafTrove support

How to bring the highlights and notes on your Kobo eReader to your iPhone or iPad, what is free, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Computer Wi-Fi setup is paused

Use the corrected LeafTrove 1.3 app on a USB-C iPhone or iPad to set up supported readers. Computer Wi-Fi setup updates are being prepared. Do not use the published 0.7.5 assistant to install or update Wi-Fi tools.

For Lightning devices, use free, read-only web export in Chrome or Edge on a computer. USB import remains free and needs no subscription.

Notes are missing on my Kobo

Keep the reader and all backups as they are. Do not sign out, reset, downgrade, delete and re-add books, or repeatedly reinstall the tools. Saving notes in LeafTrove does not restore them on the reader.

  1. Check the model and software version in Kobo Settings → Device information, and whether the affected books still open.
  2. Contact support with these details. Do not send complete databases, books or private notes yet. Restoring notes on Kobo depends on the available data and cannot be guaranteed.
Windows: find an earlier assistant backup

On the computer where you used the assistant, press Win + R. Paste this path and press Enter:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\LeafTrove\Kobo Backups

Keep every folder and tell support the folder dates. If the path is not found, try:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\LeafTrove\USB-Backups

Look for a backup from before the notes disappeared. Do not overwrite the reader with an old database; support will explain any files needed and their use first.

Kobo, LeafTrove and iCloud sync are different

Kobo sync saves eligible purchased-book annotations to the Kobo account. Books added yourself and their annotations are not backed up to that account; keep a separate copy.

LeafTrove wireless updates bring readable notes into LeafTrove; they do not complete a backup to your Kobo account.

iCloud shares LeafTrove data between Apple devices; it does not write notes back to Kobo or replace a reader backup.

Contact LeafTrove supportRead Kobo’s latest notice

Before you start

  • A compatible physical Kobo eReader and a USB cable that supports data transfer. An e-book account or a phone reading app alone is not enough.
  • An iPhone or iPad with iOS or iPadOS 17 or later.
  • LeafTrove imports text highlights and notes from EPUB/KEPUB books. PDF, handwriting and whole-book transfer are not supported.

Which features work with your eReader depends on its model and firmware. Whatever Kobo you have, you can ask for help; no subscription or trial is needed for that.

No eReader at hand? Download LeafTrove and choose “See the sample library first” on the last page of the “How it works” introduction. It needs no sign-in, computer or Kobo.

LeafTrove is an independent third-party app by HoMade Works. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Rakuten Kobo Inc.; the Kobo name is used only to describe compatibility.

Three ways to import

Choose by the port on your iPhone or iPad. If you are not sure, open Settings → General → About on the device and check “Model Name”.

USB-C iPhone or iPad
iPhone 15 or later (including iPhone Air); iPad 10th generation or later, iPad Air 4th generation or later, iPad mini 6th generation or later, and USB-C iPad Pro models. Read directly by cable.
Lightning iPhone or iPad
For example iPhone 11 to 14, iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation), or iPad 6th to 9th generation. Export on a computer.
Any of them, with a subscription
Use the corrected LeafTrove 1.3 app on a USB-C iPhone or iPad to set up supported readers. Computer Wi-Fi setup updates are being prepared. Do not use the published 0.7.5 assistant to install or update Wi-Fi tools.

1. USB-C iPhone or iPad: read directly by cable

Free, with no sign-in. No computer, assistant or Wi-Fi setup is needed.

  1. Connect. Connect the Kobo to the iPhone or iPad with a USB-C cable that supports data transfer.
  2. Tap “Connect” on the Kobo.
  3. Start reading. In LeafTrove, tap “Import notes” → “Read directly from Kobo”. Once your library has books, the button on Home is labelled “Import”.
  4. Choose the eReader. In the Locations list, choose KOBOeReader itself (do not open a folder inside it) and tap “Open”. If you do not see the Locations list, see the help below.
  5. Check and import. Check the number of books and notes in the preview, then tap “Confirm import to library”.

LeafTrove only reads and never changes the eReader. Keep the cable connected until reading finishes. When you have new highlights, connect and read again; new notes are added and existing ones updated.

Can’t see KOBOeReader?

On iPhone, the file picker may open on “Recents”, or inside “On My iPhone” showing an empty “LeafTrove” folder. Tap “Browse” at the bottom (you may need to tap it twice) until the Locations list appears.

On iPad, the Locations list is in the sidebar on the left.

The empty “LeafTrove” folder belongs to the app and is always empty. Your notes are not missing.

KOBOeReader is not in the Locations list: the Kobo is not connected yet. Wake the Kobo, stay on its home screen, plug in the cable, and tap “Connect” when the prompt appears. The Kobo may still show that it is charging after it has connected; that does not mean the connection failed.

No prompt appears on the Kobo: the cable is probably charge-only. Try another cable that supports data transfer.

If reading still fails, you can use export on a computer instead; it is free as well. Keep the error text and contact support.

2. Lightning iPhone or iPad: export on a computer

Free, with no sign-in and nothing to install. You need a Mac or Windows computer with Chrome or Edge. USB-C devices can use this route too.

  1. Connect the Kobo to the computer and tap “Connect” on the Kobo. In Chrome or Edge, open the LeafTrove web export page.
  2. Select KOBOeReader and download. Select the disk itself; when reading finishes, download the .leaftrove file. Your notes are processed on your computer and are not uploaded.
  3. Send the file to your iPhone or iPad. Use AirDrop from a Mac; from Windows, email it to yourself or use your own cloud drive. The file contains your private notes, so send it only to yourself.
  4. Import it. Save the file to the Files app. In LeafTrove, tap “Import notes”, then “Choose export file”; on a USB-C device, that button is under “Use a computer export file instead”. Check the preview, then tap “Confirm import to library”.

After reading finishes, eject KOBOeReader on the computer before you unplug the cable. Export again when you have new highlights.

3. Wi-Fi wireless updates (subscription, compatible models only)

After a one-time setup, the eReader uploads new highlights and notes over Wi-Fi when you tap sync in its menu. You check the result on the eReader, then open LeafTrove to update. It does not run by itself and it is not real-time.

  • USB-C iPhone or iPad: one cable connection, no computer and no pairing code. Sign in with Apple and make sure your trial or subscription is active. In LeafTrove, tap “Set up Wi-Fi wireless updates” on Home or on the import screen, connect the Kobo with a USB-C cable, tap “Connect” on the Kobo, then tap “Back up and install”. LeafTrove backs up the eReader’s reading database on this device, then writes the LeafTrove tools and a single-use USB pairing grant for that Kobo. Unplug when it says so; the Kobo installs and restarts.
  • Then on the Kobo: turn on Wi-Fi and tap “拾讀” (LeafTrove) in NickelMenu. The first tap runs a safety check offline, on the Kobo only. When it asks, hold the power button until the Kobo turns off (a short press only puts it to sleep), turn it on and tap “拾讀” again. The Kobo then links itself and sends its first notes, and LeafTrove shows the progress.
  • Use the corrected LeafTrove 1.3 app on a USB-C iPhone or iPad to set up supported readers. Computer Wi-Fi setup updates are being prepared. Do not use the published 0.7.5 assistant to install or update Wi-Fi tools.
  • Re-linking. If you unlinked the Kobo in the app, or a pairing stopped halfway, connect it again by cable to a USB-C iPhone or iPad and tap “Link this Kobo again” in LeafTrove (see the steps). Older pairing and sync tools on the Kobo are updated in the same connection. Unplug and tap “拾讀” on the Kobo; no code is needed.
  • You also need a Kobo that can connect to Wi-Fi, LeafTrove from the App Store, Sign in with Apple, and an active trial or subscription. One account links one Kobo at a time.
  • Availability depends on the eReader’s model, hardware revision and firmware. LeafTrove and the assistant check them, and each device still has to pass a backup and staged checks; when a condition cannot be confirmed, setup stops before installing the system components. A model or firmware that is not listed is unconfirmed, not necessarily incompatible. Free import by cable or on a computer does not depend on this.

Check the conditions before you start a trial or subscribe: model and firmware table (Traditional Chinese). Problem reports are welcome for every model; tell us the model, firmware and what the assistant reported.

Existing assistant downloads remain available for USB export only. Choose “Export notes and covers”; do not choose Wi-Fi setup, installation or tool updates.

These are the menu items LeafTrove adds to the eReader’s NickelMenu:

  • “拾讀” (LeafTrove: links the Kobo and shows the link status; in the assistant flow it also shows the pairing code)
  • “拾讀 同步筆記” (LeafTrove: Sync notes; tap it again for the progress or the result)
  • “拾讀 完成設定” (LeafTrove: Finish setup, used only during setup with the computer assistant)

Older tools, including the ones the current assistant 0.7.6 installs, show these items instead. When you connect the Kobo by cable to a USB-C iPhone or iPad, LeafTrove offers to update them.

  • “拾讀 配對／繼續” (LeafTrove: Pair / Continue)
  • “拾讀 配對結果” (LeafTrove: Pairing result)
  • “拾讀 筆記同步結果” (LeafTrove: Note sync result)

Day to day: tap “拾讀 同步筆記” on the Kobo, tap it again after about a minute to check that it finished (older tools: “拾讀 筆記同步結果”), then open LeafTrove and update.

Assistant downloads: LeafTrove Kobo Assistant 0.7.6

Existing assistant downloads remain available for USB export only. Choose “Export notes and covers”; do not choose Wi-Fi setup, installation or tool updates.

Use the corrected LeafTrove 1.3 app on a USB-C iPhone or iPad to set up supported readers. Computer Wi-Fi setup updates are being prepared. Do not use the published 0.7.5 assistant to install or update Wi-Fi tools.

Mac

Requires an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later. Signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple. Open the DMG and move the assistant to Applications, then open it.

Download for Mac, version 0.7.6 (DMG, 40.3 MB)

Version 0.7.6 (build 36). Signed by HSIHSUN HO (M9AWKCK6ZD).
SHA-256: 7ab8eaa8cff8ba6f2227b330faf5ea664aff582453fda17895be05a57ea6880d

Windows

Requires Windows 10 or 11, x64. Extract the ZIP completely, then open LeafTroveKoboAssistant.exe; administrator rights are not needed. The ZIP from this website is not signed, so Windows may show an unknown-publisher warning.

Download for Windows, version 0.7.6 (ZIP, 32.2 MB)

Version 0.7.6 · r17.
SHA-256: a5bc6c71929250723ccfce4386842a860a6a0cca1e7d36a6d739a27dd2a64828

A Microsoft Store version also exists. The Store and this website are updated separately: the ZIP here is 0.7.6; if the Store has an older version, use the ZIP. See the version in the Microsoft Store.

For Lightning devices, use free, read-only web export in Chrome or Edge on a computer. USB import remains free and needs no subscription.

What is free and what needs a subscription

Free

  • Import by cable or web export, with no sign-in
  • One library with search, favorites and “My collections”
  • “My thoughts”: your own writing on any highlight
  • Today’s pick
  • The small Home Screen widget
  • One reminder a day at a fixed time
  • Export to Markdown or JSON
  • The sample library, without an eReader

Subscription

  • Schedule for review
  • Note tags
  • Up to 5 reminders a day, with random time windows and quiet hours
  • Medium and larger Home Screen widgets, and Lock Screen widgets
  • iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad: library, favorites, covers, thoughts, tags and collections
  • Wi-Fi wireless updates on compatible models

There are two plans with the same features: monthly and yearly. Eligible new subscribers get a one-month free trial, once per Apple account; the price, currency and trial eligibility are shown in the App Store. The yearly plan costs less than twelve monthly payments; people who subscribe to it by December 31, 2026 get the launch price, which stays the same when they renew. You can switch plans in your Apple subscription settings; the change takes effect at the next renewal date. The subscription renews automatically until you cancel in Settings → your name → Subscriptions.

After a subscription ends, the notes you imported can still be read, searched and exported, and importing by cable or web export stays free.

iCloud sync works between your own iPhone and iPad; it does not fetch new highlights from the eReader. The review list and reminder settings are kept separately on each device. Compare free and subscription.

Troubleshooting

My subscription or trial does not show as active

Purchases, restoring and cancelling are handled by Apple: on the iPhone or iPad, open Settings → your name → Subscriptions.

If Apple shows the trial or subscription as active but LeafTrove does not, open Settings in LeafTrove → “Subscription” → “LeafTrove subscription and restore purchases”, then tap “Restore purchases”. Do not buy again. If it still is not confirmed, note the message on screen and contact support.

Deleting the app or your LeafTrove account does not cancel an Apple subscription.

LeafTrove cannot find KOBOeReader when reading by cable

On iPhone, tap “Browse” at the bottom of the file picker, possibly twice, until the Locations list appears; on iPad the Locations list is in the sidebar on the left. If KOBOeReader is not listed, the Kobo is not connected yet: wake it, stay on its home screen, plug in the cable and tap “Connect”. If the Kobo shows no prompt, the cable is probably charge-only. See the full picker help.

A message shows a code such as SOURCE_TYPE_UNSUPPORTED

Messages from the app, the web export page, the assistant or the eReader may include a diagnostic code in capital letters, often starting with SOURCE_. The code only says which step stopped; it contains no note text, serial number or account.

Send it to support exactly as shown, with your Kobo model, firmware and app version. You do not need to reset the eReader or delete notes.

No new notes appear after a Wi-Fi update

On the Kobo, tap “拾讀 同步筆記” (LeafTrove: Sync notes) again to see whether the upload finished; with older tools, open “拾讀 筆記同步結果” (LeafTrove: Note sync result). If it shows data still waiting, tap “拾讀 同步筆記” again. Then open LeafTrove and update. Keep the eReader’s Wi-Fi on and its clock correct. Notes already on your device stay readable offline.

Some books have no cover

Web export and assistant export include the covers the Kobo has cached. A book without a cached cover is imported without one; its notes are still imported in full.

Exporting your notes, and removing data

LeafTrove exports your books and notes as Markdown or JSON (Settings → “Export all books”); every note keeps its book title. Before you delete a cloud account or remove the app, export what you need and check that the file opens. Signing out or deleting the cloud account does not remove the library on your device and does not cancel an Apple subscription. See Account and local data.

More cases, including pairing and sync messages on the eReader, are covered on the Traditional Chinese support page, which also has a diagnostic code lookup (Traditional Chinese).

Contact support

Please include your Kobo model and firmware version (on the eReader: Settings → Device information), your LeafTrove version, the exact message or diagnostic code, and roughly when it happened.

Never send your full private database, a complete backup, passwords or Apple account credentials. The error text and the step where it stopped are enough.

Help is available for every Kobo model, with or without a subscription. What works depends on the model and firmware.

Your notes and privacy

Reading by cable and web export never upload your notes: the web export page works inside your browser, and the imported library is stored on your device. Wi-Fi wireless updates and iCloud sync are optional. Details are in the privacy policy.